Info/Tips
Big Bend is BIG and service is limited, fill up gas when you can. There is only one gas station next to Panter Junction visitor center.
Lodging – highly recommend to stay in the national park. Camping or at Chisos Mountain Lodge (the only lodging available in the park). Closest town with hotel lodging options is Terlingua which depending on where you’re going could be 40-60 mins drive one way.
Food service is also limited, bring what you need. We stopped by a grocery store in Alpine the day before going to big bend national park.
Check road condition at visitor center for non paved roads. We did drive the improved dirt roads, Grapevine Hill Road and Hot Spring Roads, with a high clearance sedan and it’s do-able but drive slow.
Things to do
Chisos Basin/Panther Junction Area
Balanced Rock trail
This is a fun/short 2.2 round trip hike. However the trail head is 6.4 miles down an improved dirt road (Grapevine hill Road), check road condition at visitor center before going. The first 0.75 miles is flat and dessert view, the last 0.25 miles is a steep climb up to balanced rock.
Windows view trail
A very short and easy trail by Chisos Mountain Lodge/Visitor center. Excellent view of Window. Great place for Sunset/stargazing. Since we stayed at Chisos mountain lodge, this was only steps away from our hotel.
Window Trail
5.6 miles round trip from Chisos Basin trailhead or for a shorter hike park at the designated hiker parking lot close to Chisos Campsite for a 4.4 miles round trip hike. This hike takes you to the top of the Window pour-off.
Lost Mine Trail
A moderate 4.8 miles round trip hike, on the day we went it was very foggy but we did get lucky and the sun peeked out a little bit at the top and we were able to see some views for a few minutes.
Fossil discovery exhibit
An informative exhibition on fossils.
Castolon Historic District
Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
A 30 miles scenic drive to Castolon District and Santa Elena Canyon with overlooks, viewpoints and hiking trails on the way. We stopped at Sotol Vista, Mule Ears Overlook, and Tuff Canyon overlook on the way there and did a short hike (lower Burro Mesa Pour-off Trail) on the way back.
Santa Elena Canyon
A 1.7 round trip hike for amazing Santa Elena canyon view. On the NPS site is says be prepared for Mud and that trail is not passible when Terlingua Creek floods. on our visit the water was low and there are stones path that people put out for easy crossing.
Lower Burro Mesa Pour-off Trail
Easy 1 mile round trip
Rio Grande Village
Hot Spring
We parked at the Hot Spring Historic trailhead, from there the hot spring is a short 0.5 miles hike away. There is no changing facility at the hot spring. The hot spring is 105°F and jumping between the hot spring and the cold Rio Grande river is fun.
Boquillas Canyon
We decided not to do the Boquillas Canyon trail (1.6 miles round trip), so only stopped at the Boquillas Canyon overlook. The Boquillas Border crossing was closed during our visit. We saw a group of Mexican playing ball from the overlook.
Nearby attraction
Terlingua ghost town/Starlight Theatre
We stayed in Big Bend National Parks for 2 nights and decided to checkout the starlight Theatre restaurant for dinner one of the nights. There is really nothing much to see in Terlingua ghost town. The restaurant had a long line already at 5:25pm when we arrived. The restaurant opens at 5pm for dinner. We did not make the first sittings by about 3-4 groups and had to wait about 1 hour. If you plan to go for dinner plan to get there around 5pm. The food was good.
Return to New Mexico and Texas 8 Days Itinerary
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